Bottling-machine.



' PATENTED FEB. 27-, 1906.

llllllllll a 14 J- i ll E. U. MACK. BOTTLING MACHINE. APPLICATIQN FILED NOV. 11, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST ULMO MACK, OF FLORENCE, SOUTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO THE onown ooRK AND SEAL COMPANY, or BALTIMORE.

MARYLAND.

BOTTLlNG-MACHJNE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented 'Feb. 27, 1906.

Application filed November 11, 1904. Serial N0. 232,550.

for filling bottles-with li uids of the general type disclosed in Letters atent of the' United States granted to William Painter, N o.

608,158, dated July 26, 1895, and more articularly to means for centering the bott e in relation to the filling element. In said machine a syrup-nozzle is employed through which syrup is introduced into the bottle, for

. which purpose the bottle is placed on the table of the machine in position with its mouth below the nozzle, or approximately so, and the attendant by operating a treadlo brings down the filling-head in order to cause the said nozzle to enter the mouth of the bottle' for the discharge of the syrup thereiuto.

My invention concerns means whereby, if through carelessness or haste the operator should not accurately position the bottlemouth in line with the syrup-tube or if from any cause the bottle should be displaced, the descent of the filling-head will cause the accurate alinement of the bottle with the nozzle.

Further, myinvention includes means whereby the bottle will be revented from being raised off from the tab e when the filling-head rises.

The invention consists in the features and combination and arrangement of arts hereinafter described, and particular y pointed out in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 shows a portion of a bottling-machine with 'my improvements associated therewith, the figure also showing a'bottle in displaced relation to the nozzle and the improvement about to act on the said bottle to center it in relation to the nozzle. Fig. 2 is a detail view enlarged. Fig. 3 is a detail view of a modification.

In the drawings, 1 indicates the syrup-nozzle of the bottling-machine of substantially known form, having a nut 2 and a screwthreaded stern associated therewith, by which the nozzle may be secured to the fillinghead in a manner substantially as shown in the patent above referred to. Below the nut 23. collar 3 is arranged, secured by a screw 4 to the nozzle, and from this collar a series of spring-fingersfi depend, said fingers being screwed or otherwise secured to the collar 3. They extend down parallel with and at a slight distance from the nozzle, and at their lower ends the springs. are bent outwardly, forming inclined portions 6, the extreme lower ends of which are turned outwardly, as at 7. A loose'collar S is located about the lower end of the nozzle, and between this and the upper fixed collar there is interposed a spiral spring 9, tending constantly to force the loose collar downwardly. The flat springs or fingers 5 are slotted longitudinally from the point 10 to the point l5, and through these slots pins 16 pro ect, which pins are carried rigidly by the loose collar. Normally the loose collar is of course in its lowermost position, and the' pins carried thereby. are resting on the lower walls of the slots at 15, and thus the said pins act as stops to-determine the lowermost position of the loose collar. which is, as shown, slightly above the point of the nozzle. The drawings illustrate the fact that when the bottle is placed be neath the filling head and under the fillingnozzle it may be carelessly located with its opening out of line with the syrup-nozzle, and thus upon the descent of the filling-head the nozzle would strike the lip of the bottle, resulting in breakage of the bottle and damage to the machine but with my improvement the down wardly-proj ecting fingers, with 'th eir outwardly and downwardly inclined lower ends, present meansfor centering or automatically adjusting the bottle in relation to the nozzle, so that beforethe point of the nozzle reaches the plane of the upper edge of'the bottle-lip the bottle will have been shifted so that the mouth thereof will be in alinement axially with the nozzle or in such a position that the downward movement of the nozzle will causethe same to enter the bottle-mouth, it being noted that the end of the nozzle presents sloping or inclined sides and the mouth of the bottle being flared upwardly. The centering fingers project slightly below the plane of the point of the nozzle, and thus they are in position to act on the bottle and automatically "center the same previously to the arrival of the point of thenozzle at thejplane of the edge of the bot- 01 the upper collars secured to the nozzle I. support thespring fingers upon an annular at their upper ends with their lower en s free,

supported when [the filling-head rises.

downwardly as the nozzle rises will prevent I such undesirable action.

sistent with strength.

tle mouth or lip. As the filling-head continues to descend the nozzle will enter the mouth of the bottle, and the lip of said bottle will, strike against the loose collar 8, and this will slide upwardly along the nozzle, the Spring 9 yielding for this purpose. When the syrup has been ('lischarged into thebottle and the fi ng-head is raised, the collar 8 under the action of this's )ring-will slide 'down along the nozzle and will thus prevent the bottle from being raised from the table upon which it his T e bottle mi ht under some circumstances be lifted up From the surface of'the table when the filling-head risessuch, for instance, because of the syrup causing the bottle to stick to the nozzle-s lent the sliding collar pressing The connection; between the lower sliding collar and the spring-fingers, consisting of the pins of the collar pro ecting through the slots in the fin gers, acts to steady the action of the fingers at their lower ends, servin .to resist lateral strain and displacement, t e pins'acting as guides, so that the spring-fingers will yield in a radial direction.

It is desirable to preserve or maintain as much head room or space between the lower end ofthe nozzle and the top thereof to allow the nozzle to enter to the maximum degree into thebottle, and I therefore form the collars 3 and 8 of as little height as possible 0011-; In order to get moreg head-room than that which would be allowed bythe use of the collars, I employ the con-i nection illustrated in Fig. 2, in which in place flange or ring associated with the nut 2. This .rin may be held. within a flange .dependin rrom the nut by means of screws 17 the sai ring being indicated at 18. This ar rangement will allow the'head of the bottle to rise within the ring and close up against the under side of the nut. This is important. in a machine of this character to accommodate dilierent heights of bottles. l

I claim as my invention-- 1. In combination in a bottling-machine, a nozzle adapted to enter the bottle-mouth. andresilient means for centering the bottle in relation to the nozzle, said means extending down along the nozzle and acting as the nozzle and bottle are brought together, substantially as described.

2. In combination, in a bottling-machine, a nozzle and a spring finger or fingers sup orted said fingers being associated withthe nozzle for engaging the bottle and centering the same in relation to the nozzle as the nozzle and bottle arebrought together, substantially asdescribed.

3. In combination in a bottling-machine, a

nozzle, a spring finger or fingers depending ,from anupper point or sup ort alon the ,nozzle an having outward y and own: wardly inclined lower free ends .for engaging the bottle and centering the same in relation to the nozzle.

4. In combination in a bottling-machine, a nozzle adapted to enter the bottle, and a sliding collar on the said nozzle with a spring for pressing the said nozzle downwardly to prevent the lifting of thebottle as the nozzle is withdrawn therefrom and-,a plurality of spring-fingers between which the collar slides,

substantially as described.

v 5. In combination in a bottling-machine, a nozzle, a centering finger or fingers depending below'thesame to'contact with the bot- ,tle, a collar adapted to slide on the nozzle, a spring for pressing the collar downwardly and a stop associatedwith the collar and centering-finger, substantially as described.

6. In combination, the nozzle, the sliding spring pressed collar, the centeringfingers and the slidingconnection between the said ,fingers and the collar, substantially as described.

7.- In combination, the nozzle, the centerin ers slotted vertically, a spring-pressed co lar aving pins projecting from the collar through the slots in the fingers, substantially as described.

- 8. In combination with the nozzle, aspringpressed collar thereon and m'eans for limiting the downward movement of the collar eonsistinig and t e nozzle the lip of the bottle is adapted of the finger or arm between which with thesaid arm or finger, substantially as described.

9. In combination in a bottling-machine, a

nozzle adapted to enter the bottle-mouth, and means for centering the bottle in relation to the nozzle, said means being yielcing lat-' .erally in-relation to the nozzle, substantially as described.

10. In combination in a bottling-machine, anozzle adapted to enter the bottle-mouth, and means for centering the bottle in relation to the nozzle, said means comprising a plurality of members individually yieldable radially in respect to the nozzle, substantially as described.

11. In combination in a bottling-machine, a nozzle adapted to enter the bottle-mouth,

' and a plurality of fingers depending alon the nozzle and individually yieldable radial y in respect to the nozzle, substantially as de scribed. g

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERNEST ULMO MACK.- Witnesses:

JERO E B. CHASE, Jr-., CHAS. D. BRAY. 

